Wickes Manufacturing Company

Dura Convertible Systems Gmbh

Roderick C Fischbach

A substitute top is provided to close the passenger compartment of a convertible vehicle when the folding soft top is lowered. The soft top has a pair of J-hook latches for engaging the windshield header to latch the top in sealing engagement with the windshield header. The substitute top comprises a rigid shell that has a front edge which engages the windshield header when the shell is installed. The substitute top mounts a pair of J-hook latches for engaging the header in the same manner as the soft top when the substitute top is installed to latch the substitute top in sealing engagement with the windshield header. The substitute top includes a bottom portion having a rear edge that mounts a seal strip which engages the vehicle body adjacent the top storage compartment. A C-shaped clip engages the storage well rear edge to secure the bottom portion to the vehicle body and compress the seal strip. Side flanges engage the soft top storage well side edges to locate the substitute top laterally of the vehicle. The substitute top is installed by positioning the shell over the passenger compartment, moving the shell rearward to engage the C-clip with the well periphery, dropping the shell front edge into engagement with the windshield header, and latching the J-hook latches.

Substitute top for convertibles

A convertible vehicle has a body with a passenger compartment, a pair of passenger access doors each having a window and a pair of rear quarter windows, all mounted on the body for movement between raised and lowered positions. A folding top is mounted on the body for movement between a raised position covering the passenger compartment and a lowered position opening the passenger compartment. A hydraulic system includes a hydraulic pump, two hydraulic top actuators for raising and lowering the top, and a pair of hydraulic window actuators operatively connected to the quarter windows for raising and lowering the windows with less pressure than required to raise and lower the top. A hydraulic circuit connects all of the cylinders in parallel which enables sequential operation of the windows and then the top. A three-position control switch enables the windows to be lowered and raised when the top is in raised or lowered position by moving the control to respective 'down' and 'up' positions. The windows are hydraulically locked in any selected position by actuation of a solenoid valve when the control is moved to 'off' position. In another embodiment the hydraulic system includes actuators for the door windows. This embodiment features many possible sequences of operation of the windows.

Convertible with automatic window operation

A power actuating system automatically moves a convertible top and a tonneau in a sequence in which the tonneau is closed both when the top is raised and lowered and wherein the power actuating system includes plural power cylinders and a linkage mechanism for moving the convertible top and tonneau in a sequence including moving the tonneau from its closed position to a raised open position, thereafter moving the top from lowered position to raised position with the top rear bow partially raised, then moving the rear bow to fully raised position to provide clearance for movement of the tonneau to its closed position, moving the tonneau to its closed position, and finally moving the rear bow to its lowered position for engagement with the car body adjacent the tonneau.

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Roderick C Fischbach